THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


He  found  Donald's  hamper  under  his  bed.     Page  10. 


GNILB'S 


*THE    WAT    TO    BE    EAPPY,"    "NORMAN    ANT)    AT)  A," 
"LITTLE   JOE  AND   HIS  STRAWBERRY   FLAKT,* 

"BUXCH  OP  GRAPES." 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.    P.    SKELLY    &   CO., 

NC.  21  SOUTH  SEVP:NTH  STKEET, 

(Second  Story.) 
1870. 


PACK, 


I. 


A  DISCOVERY 5 

II. 
THE  ESTRANGEMENT 19 

III. 
A  TALK 31 

IV. 
GROWING  WORSE 45 

V. 
THE  LITTLE  CRUSADER 54 

VI. 
THE  SECRET  REVEALED 69 


622704 


DONALD'S  HAMPER. 


I. 

A    DISCOVERY. 

SUPPOSE  most  little  boys 
and  girls  know  what  it  is  to 
have  a  friend, — I  do  not  mean  a 
grown-up  friend,  but  a  little  boy  or 
girl  friend  of  their  own  age,  to  whom 
they  tell  their  secrets,  and  whom  they 
think  the  most  delightful  little  per- 
sonage in  the  world.  It  is  very 
pleasant  to  have  such  a  little  friend,  is 
it  not?  Then  I  hope  you  do  not 


6  DONALD  S   HAMPER. 

quarrel.  "  Bear  and  forbear,"  is  a 
good  motto  for  all  little  folks  who 
Lave  little  friends ;  and  if  it  was 
oftener  kept  in  mind,  your  friendships 
would  last  longer,  I  think.  It  is 
selfishness  that  often  destroys  the 
strongest  friendships. 

Yes,  I  ain  afraid  I  must  say  that 
it  was  selfishness  that  made  Walter 
Leigh  look  so  very  unhappy  as  he 
paced  the  shady  shrubbery- walk  of 
JBeechwood  House  School  one  Saturday 
afternoon,  and  thought  how  badly  his 
friend  Donald  Mackay  had  treated 
him.  I  will  tell  what  had  happened 
between  these  two  young  friends,  and 
you  will  see  whether  I  am  not  right  in 
thinking  that  Walter,  though  he  had 


A   DISCOVERY.  7 

no  idea  of  it,  was  a  very  selfish, 
exacting  little  boy. 

Both.  Walter  Leigh  and  Donald 
Mackay  had  been  at  school  about  a 
year ;  they  had  come  about  the  same 
time,  they  were  in  the  same  class,  they 
slept  in  the  same  bedroom,  sat  close 
together  at  meals,  and  everybody  said 
they  were  very  great  friends. 

But  the  day  before  the  Saturday  to 
which  I  have  referred  Donald  had  re- 
ceived a  hamper  /rora  his  guardian, 
lie  very  seldom  had  hampers,  but  was 
always  very  liberal  in  dividing  the 
contents  with  his  companions.  Yet 
on  this  particular  occasion  he  had  not 
shown  quite  so  much  alacrity  in  dis- 
posing of  his  treasures,  but  carried  the 


8  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

basket  upstairs  to  open  it  there. 
However,  as  a  Luge  cake  and  a 
quantity  of  gingerbread  were  soon 
brought  down  and  divided,  the  boys 
thought  nothing  more  about  it,  and 
devoured  their  shares  with  great 
eagerness. 

Xot  so  Walter.  He  ate  his  cake, 
it  is  true ;  he  would  not  have  been  a 
boy  if  he  had  refused  it ;  but  he  was 
offended  that  he  had  not,  as  usual, 
been  called  to  assist  at  the  opening  of 
the  basket.  There  was  some  mystery 
about  it.  and  he  secretly  resolved  to 
find  out  what  it  was. 

The  hamper  would  hold  more  than 
the  cake  and  gingerbread,  and  he 
buspected  there  was  something  else 


A   DISCOVERY.  y 

which  Donald  was  keeping  for  his 
private  eating. 

"  If  so,  I'll  not  have  uch  a  pig  for 
my  friend,"  he  inwardly  resolved,  as 
he  remembered  how  fairly  and  equally 
he  had  always  shared  everything  with 
Donald;  "  but  I'll  find  it  out." 

But  how?  was  the  question.  "I 
might  ask  him  whether  he  had 
emptied  his  basket ;  but  no,  I  won't, 
he  would  think  I  was  asking  for  some- 
thing more ;  and  I  wouldn't  do  that 
for  the  world.  I  know  what  I'll  do  ; 
he  has  got  a  host  of  impositions  which 
will  keep  him  in  the  school-room  after 
tea  when  the  other  fellows  go  to  the 
playground,  I'll  rush  up  here  like 
lightning  and  have  a  hunt  for  the 


10  DONALD'S  HAMPER 

wretched  old  basket ;  and  if  I  find  it, 
won't  I  just  see  what  is  in  it  ?" 

I  am  afraid  Walter  must  have  been 
some  relation  of  the  celebrated  indi- 
vidual, Paul  Pry,  or  at  least  a  pupil 
of  his,  for  he  carried  out  his  inquisi- 
tive plan  just  as  he  had  intended,  and, 
as  he  imagined,  solved  the  mystery. 
Donald's  hamper  he  found  under  his 
bed,  it  was  only  slightly  fastened,  and 
he  easily  undid  it.  Yes,  there  was 
something  left ;  inside  the  hamper 
there  was  a  littk  basket  covered  with 
tissue  paper,  which  smelt  delicious. 

"  Some  strawberries,  I'll  be  bound,'1 
exclaimed  Walter,  as  he  opened  one 
corner  to  see.  "  Xo,  better  still — some 
splenaid  ripe  peaches.  Well  done, 


A   DISCO\  EEY.  11 

Master  Donald  !  you  are  keeping  a 
nice  feast  for  yourself  ;  no  wonder  the 
hamper  was  n^t  to  be  unpacked  down- 
stairs !  But  see  if  I  don't  tell  all  the 
world  what  a  monstrous  great  pig 
they've  got  in  the  house ;  just  see  if  I 
won't !" 

Thus  boiling  over  with  indignation, 

o  o 

he  returned  to  the  school-room,  where 
Donald  and  two  or  three  other  boys 
were  busy  at  their  tasks.  Luckily 
one  of  the  masters  was  present,  or  he 
would  have  let  loose  his  anger  at  once  ; 
he  was  turning  to  go  into  the  play- 
ground that  he  might  publish  Donald's 
misdemeanor  there,  when  he  sudden- 
ly remembered  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  him  to  say  a  word  about 


i2  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

his  discovery  without  revealing  at  the 
same  time  the  manner  in  which  it  had 
been  made,  which  certainly  would  not 
be  considered  by  any  means  creditable 
to  himself.  Thus  forced  to  hold  his 
tongue,  both  to  Donald  and  his  com- 
panions, he  had  no  way  of  showing 
his  displeasure  than  by  coldness 
towards  his  former  friend,  which 
Donald,  of  course  was  at  a  loss  to 
account  for. 

By  degrees  his  anger  cooled  down, 
and  he  began  to  feel  very  unhappy ; 
he  almost  wished  he  had  let  the 
basket  alone,  since  the  discovery  he 
had  made  only  served  to  convince 
him  that  Donald  did  not  really  care 
for  him  as  much  as  he  had  im- 


A  DISCOVERY.  13 

agined,  or   as   much  as   lie  cared  for 
Donald. 

It  was  in  this  uncomfortable  state 
of  mind  that  he  was  roaming  about  the 
garden  of  Beech  wood  House  on  the  day 
in  question,  Saturday  afternoon.  What  a 
dreary,  wretched  half-holiday  it  seemed !. 
He  missed  his  friend,  for  Saturday 
afternoon  had  always  been  their  great 
*-ime  for  fun,  and  he  did  not  know 
what  to  do  with  himself  alone.  He 
wondered  Donald  did  not  come  to 
look  for  him,  half-hoped  and  half 
feared  that  he  would ;  for  while  in 
his  heart  he  longed  for  his  play- 
fellow, he  felt  that  his  pride  would 
not  permit  him  to  be  friendly  to  him ; 
for  had  he  not  resolved  to  have  no- 

2 


14  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

thing  more  to  do  with  him,  and  did 
lie  ever  break  his  word  ? 

Still  it  certainly  was  strange  that 
Donald  did  not  come  near  him  all 
that  afternoon.  What  jould  he  be 
doing  ?  Eating  I  is  peaches,  no  doubt, 
in  some  corner  all  by  himself.  How 
Walter  wished  he  knew  where  !  He 
should  so  like  1^  catch  him  in  the  act. 
How  small  he  would  look !  And 
what  would  he  say  for  himself? 

In  these  very  uncomfortable  mu- 
sings the  afternoon  wore  away.  YvVi- 
ter  thought  it  was  interminable  ;  but 
the  tea-bell  rang  at  last  to  his  great 
relief,  and  he  joined  the  rest  of  the 
boys  as  they  were  trooping  into  the 
school.  Donald  was  in  his  usual  seat 


A   DISCOVERY.  15 

next  to  Walter's,  and  looked  at  liim 
with  his  usual  bright  smile  as  he  came 
in. 

'  What  have  you  been  doing  all  the 
afternoon?"  he  inquired,  when  grace 
had  been  said,  and  they  were  hard  at 
work  despatching  huge  piles  of  bread 
and  butter.  "  I  came  to  look  for  you 
about  half-an-hour  ago,  and  nobody 
knew  where  you  were." 

"  I've  been  in  the  shrubbery  all  the 
afternoon,"  replied  Walter,  shortly; 
"  you  could  have  found  me  there." 

"I've  been  reading  to  the  two  small 
Percies,"  answered  Donald ;  "  they 
were  dull,  and  so  I  stayed  with  them 
most  of  the  afternoon." 

''And   the  rest   of   the   time   you 


16  DONALD'S   HAMPER. 

were  munching  your  peaches,  I  sup- 
pose," thought  Walter  to  himself; 
but  he  did  not  utter  his  thoughts 
aloud,  and  Donald,  thinking  he  was 
not  in  a  very  good  temper,  did  not 
pursue  the  conversation. 

Tea  over,  there  was  a  general  rush 
to  the  door,  and  from  thence  to  the 
play-ground,  all  being  anxious  not 
to  lose  a  moment  of  the  half-hour 
that  remained  to  them  before  the 
bell  called  them  in-doors.  Donald 
instinctively  placed  his  arm  within 
Walter's,  and  was  drawing  him  off 
towards  one  of  their  favorite  nooks, 
when  the  latter  shook  himself  roughly 
free,  declaring  he  had  something  to 
do  in-doors,  rushed  back  into  the 


A   DISCOVERY.  17 

house,  and  straight  up  to  his  bed- 
room. 

"  I  will  find  out,  once  for  all, 
whether  I'm  right  or  wrong,"  he 
exclaimed,  passionately,  at  the  same 
time  pulling  the  unfortunate  hamper 
from  its  place  of  concealment  and 
opening  it.  "Yes,  sure  enough, 
they're  every  one  gone :  who  would 
have  believed  he  could  have  been. 

such   a — such    a  ,"  and  Walter 

paused  in  his  search  for  a  sufficiently 
expressive  word,  which,  however,  would 
not  turn  up ;  and  he  proceeded  to 
renew  his  resolution  of  breaking  for 
ever  with  his  friend,  saying,  half 
aloud,  "  It's  not  that  I  care  one  atom 

for  the  peaches,  he  might  eat  dozens 
a* 


IS  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

and  dozens  for  all  I  care ;  but  to 
think  of  his  sitting  up  here  gob- 
bling away  all  by  himself, — a  dozen 
I'm  sure  there  must  have  been,  at  the 
very  least  1" 


THB   ESTRANGEMENT.  19 


II. 

THE     ESTRANGEMENT. 

the  meanwhile  Donald  was 
sorely  perplexed  at  his  friend's 
manner.  Whether  he  had  unwit- 
tingly offended  him,  or  whether  Wal- 
ter himself  was  up  to  some  mischief, 
Donald  was  at  a  loss  to  determine  ; 
he  waited  for  some  time  in  hopes 
he  would  come  out  again,  but  in  vain  ; 
he  saw  no  more  of  him  till  the/  both 
went  to  bed. 

He   then    renewed  his  attempts  to 
make  him  talk,  but  rarely  succeeded 


20  DOXALD'S 

in    extracting    more    than    a    mono- 

o 

syllable  from  Lira ;  and  after  having 
asked  him  many  times  in  vain  to  tell 
him  what  was  the  matter,  he  got  into 
Led  and  fell  asleep,  hoping  he  would 
wake  up  in  a  more  agreeable  frame 
of  mind  the  next  morning. 

Walter,  on  the  other  hand,  lay 
awake  a  whole  hour, — a  long  time, 
indeed,  for  him,  pondering  his  friend's 
manner.  "Surely, "he  said  to  him- 
self, "  if  he  had  been  such  a  pig 
he  would  feel  a  little  uncomfortable 
for  fear  we  should  find  it  out ;  but 
he  looks  just  as  happy  and  contented 
as  if  he'd  nevei  done  a  wrono;  thin^ 

o  o 

in  his  Lie.  It's  very  odd — very 
strange.  I  suppose  he  thinks  we 


THE    ESTRANGEMENT.  21 

can't  know  anything  of  his  having 
the  peaches ;  well,  I  almost  wish  I 
didn't.  It's  a  horrid  bore  to  have  to 
cut  him,  but  do  it  I  must,  for  a 
fellow  that  could  do  that  is  not  fit  to 
be  my  friend."  Walter  forgot  just 
then  that  his  conduct  in  peeping  into 
Donald's  hamper  was  not  the  most 
honorable  in  the  world,  and  that  if 
Donald  knew  what  he  had  done  he 
might,  perhaps,  return  the  compli- 
ment. 

For  a  day  or  two  the  quarrel — 
if  such  it  may  be  called — did  not 
go  much  further.  Donald  was  greatly 
distressed  at  his  friend's  coldness,  and 
tried  various  ways  to  win  him  over ; 
but  Walter  remained  cold  and  dis- 


22  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

tant  as  ever,  and  Donald's  patience — • 
he  could  never  boast  of  having  very 
much — failed  altogether.  "If  Walter 
did  not  care  to  have  him  tor  a  friend 
it  was  all  the  same  to  him,  he  was 
sure  he  should  be  no  loser  by  it." 
So  he  said,  and  so  he  tried  to  think ; 
and  to  let  Walter  see  that  he  could  do 
very  well  without  him,  he  began  to 
be  very  intimate  with  another  boy 
who  had  lately  come  to  school. 

Henry  Noble  was  the  son  of  rich 
parents,  and  as  he  had  generally 
plenty  of  pocket-money  at  his  dis- 
posal, and  laid  it  out  readily  for  his 
friends  as  well  as  himself,  he  soon 
became  a  great  favorite,  and  many 
ot  the  boys  thought  Donald  fortu- 


THE    ESTRANGEMENT.  23 

indeed  in  having  made  such  a 
friend. 

And  so  the  terra  passed  away,  and 
the  holidays  were  fast  approaching. 
Walter  wondered  what  Donald  would 
do  then,  for  as  he  was  an  orphan,  and 
had  no  home  to  go  to,  he  had  hitherto 
been  always  very  glad  to  accept  Mrs. 
Leigh's  proposal  that  he  should  spend 
the  vacation  with  her  son. 

Walter  knew  quite  well  that  he 
would  get  no  invitation  this  time,  for 
he  had  taken  care  to  tell  his  mother 
that  they  were  no  longer  friends  ;  and 
though,  for  his  own  sake,  he  could  not 

O       ' 

help  regretting  it,  he  rather  rejoiced  to 
thifllr  that  Donald  would  be  served  out 
for  b'ls  misconduct. 


24  DONALD'S   HAMPER. 

But  in  this  amiable  desire  lie  was 
destined  to  be  disappointed.  The  day 
before  the  breaking-up  he  was  saunter- 
ing down  one  of  the  garden- walks 
alone,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  not  very 
happy,  for  this  quarter  had  seemed  a 
long  and  dreary  one  to  him,  and  the 
thought  of  the  holidays  was  nothing 
like  so  pleasant  as  formerly,  when 
the  great  enjoyment  had  been  to  play 
the  host  with  Donald  in  his  father's 
house, — in  short,  he  was  wishing  over 
and  over  again  that  this  uncomforta- 
ble affair  had  never  happened :  of 
course  his  pride  prevented  his  ever 
admitting  to  himself  that  it  was  pos- 
sible that,  after  all,  he  might  have 
been  mistaken, — when  he  heard  his 


THE    ESTRANGEMENT.  25 

name  mentioned  by  a  voice  the  other 
side  of  the  hedge.  It  was  two  of  his 
school-fellows,  and  he  listened — all 
eagerness — to  hear  what  they  were 
saying  about  him.  Then  Donald's 
name  caught  his  ear,  and  he  heard  the 
second  boy  say, — 

"  Well,  if  I  were  Mackay,  I'd  like 
it  a  precious  deal  better  than  going  to 
stay  with  young  Leigh ;  his  father's 
place  may  be  grand,  but  Noble's  quite 
a  different  sort  of  fellow,  as  merry  and 
good  tempered  as  the  day  is  long — • 
never  takes  offence — so  that  anybody 
can  get  on  with  him.  But  Leigh  we 
all  know  is  snappish,  and  thinks  no 
end  of  himself  and  his  rights  ;  and  I 
si  are  say  his  old  mother  and  sij 


26  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

sisters   are   as   high   and   mighty   a3 
he  is." 

Walter  heard  no  more,  for  he 
rushed  away  before  the  last  words 
were  well  uttered,  and  never  stopped 
till  he  had  reached  the  house.  It  did 
not  improve  his  temper  that  he  hap- 
pened to  meet  on  his  way  Donald  and 
Henry  Noble  walking  arm-in-arm, 
deep  in  consultation.  They  looked  so 
bright  and  happy,  and  he  felt  so  very 
miserable,  that  he  would  rather  have 
met  any  one  but  them  just  then.  He 
was  glad  enough  when  he  reached  his 
own  room,  and  could  fling  himself  on 
the  bed  and  give  vent  to  his  feelings 
in  a  good  cry.  Never  had  boy  been 
BO  deeply  injured  before, — never  had 


THE    ESTRANGEMENT.  27 

any  one. been  so  miserably  deceived  in 
his  friend  !  He  bad  at  least  expected 
that  Donald  would  feel  miserable  at 
the  sudden  rupture  with  bis  old  play- 
fellow, and  to  see  him  now  as  merry 
and  bright  as  if  nothing  bad  happened 
was  intolerable.  It  was  quite  plain 
that  he  coifl  never  have  really  cared 
for  him,  or  he  would  not  have  been  so 
ready  to  transfer  his  affection  to 
another  boy. 

Walter's  pride  had  received  a  blow 
that  it  could  not  easily  endure.  He 
had  fancied  that  he  was  conferring  a 
considerable  favor  on  Donald  in 
choosing  him  for  his  friend,  because 
Donald  was  an  orphan  and  poor,  whi1Q 
he  was  the  only  son  of  a  rich  land* 


23  DONALD'S    HAMPER, 

owner  ;  and  yet  Donald  did  not  seem 
to  care  in  the  least  that  he  had 
forfeited  his  friendship.  It  was  very 
provoking,  too,  that  he  had  happened 
to  find  a  friend  who  could  invite  him 
home  for  the  holidays,  so  that  his 
misconduct  would  not  even  cost  him 
that  treat.  No,  it  was  evident  that 
of  the  two  Walter  had  suffered  the 
most  by  their  quarrel ;  indeed,  as  far 
as  he  could  see,  Donald  was  none  the 
worse  for  it. 

Then  he  began  to  think  of  the  dis- 
agreeable things  the  two  boys  had 
said  about  himself.  Of  course,  they 
were  not  true, — nothing  could  be  more 
ahsiiH.  than  to  fancy  they  were ;  but 
it  was  certainly  disagreeable  to  have 


THE    ESTRANGEMENT.  ZJ 

such  things  said  about  one,  and  he 
was  determined  to  pay  them  out  for 
it.  His  mother  and  sisters,  too  ! — it 
was  too  bad.  He  would  cut  the  boys 
for  ever. 

Such  were  "Walter's  miserable 
thoughts  the  night  before  he  went 
home,  and  when  he  went  down-stairs 
again  his  face  certainly  bore  unmis- 
takable marks  of  the  storm  that  had 
been  going  on  within  :  he  looked,  as 
one  of  the  boys  expressed  it,  "  as  if 
lie  hated  all  the  world,  and  thought 
that  all  the  world  hated  him."  A 
most  miserable  state  of  things,  truly  ! 
And  what  had  caused  all  these  unkind 
thoughts  and  speeches, — all  this 

jealousy  and  heart-burning  ?   Nothing 
3* 


SO  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

in  the  world  but  a  suspicion  which 
Walter  ought  never  to  have  enter- 
tained. Oh,  we  ought  to'  be  very 
careful  how  we  act  upon  such  slight 
suspicions, — how  we  pronounce  judg- 
ment upon  one  another,  lest  in  the  end 
v/e  find  out  that  it  has  been  ourselves 
who  have  been  in  the  wrong  1 


A  TALK.  31 


III. 

A    TALK. 

|JHE  next  day  there  was  a  great 
bustle  and  skirmisli  at  Beech- 
wood  House,  and  all  the  boys  went 
home  for  their  holidays. 

Walter  Leigh  had  a  long  journey 
before  him  and  started  early.  It 
was  a  comfort  to  get  away  from 
Beechwood,  where  he  had  lately  been 
BO  miserable,  and  he  hoped  that  in 
leaving  school  he  should  also  get  rid 
of  his  unpleasant  feelings. 

But  in  this  he  was  mistaken.  Many 


32  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

things  at  Lome  reminded  him  again 
and  again  of  Donald;  and  his  sisters, 
dearly  as  they  loved  him,  could  not 
take  that  keen  interest  in  his  pursuits 
that  Donald  used  to  feel.  So  after 
the  first  few  days  had  passed  away 
lie  began  to  feel  very  dull,  and  al- 
most thought  he  should  be  glad  when 
the  holidays  were  over :  but  then  he 
remembered  how  miserable  he  had 
been  at  school,  and  wished  that  some- 
thing would  happen  to  prevent  his 
going  back  again. 

Walter's  favorite  place  at  home, 
where  he  spent  all  the  time  that 
he  was  not  out  of  doors,  was  a  little 
room  which  was  the  property  of 
his  eldest  sister,  who,  being  an  invalid 


A   TALK.  33 

and  not  able  to  mix  with,  the  rest 
of  the  family,  passed  the  greater  part 
of  every  day  there. 

Kate  Leigh  was  much  older  than 
Walter,  who  was  the  youngest  of 
the  family,  and  indeed  she  was  in  all 
respects  much  older  than  most  girls 
of  her  age.  Sickness  often  makes 
people  thoughtful  and  wise  beyond 
their  years ;  and  while  it  had  done  this 
for  Kate,  it  had  not  also  dried  up  hei 
warm  affections  and  made  her  selfish, 
as  it  unfortunately  does  with  some. 
No,  Kate  was  the  most  contented,  the 
happiest  being  in  the  family ;  and 
I  suppose  this  is  why  Walter  so  often 
chose  to  settle  himself  with  his  book 
in  a  corner  of  her  little  domain. 


34  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

One  wet  day  he  was  there  as  usual, 
and  having  spent  some  time  in  la- 
menting over  the  weather,  which  was 
dark  and  lowering,  had  finally  suh- 
sided  into  peace  and  quietness  over  a 
new  fairy  tale  to  her  great  relief;  for 
Kate  was  never  idle,  and  though  she 
seldom  showed  it,  she  had  a  peculiar 
dislike  to  being  disturbed  till  her 
morning  duties  were  accomplished. 

Two  hours  passed  away  quietly, 
and  then  Walter  gave  a  groan,  and 
flinging  his  book  on  the  table,  with 
the  announcement  that  that  was  done, 
wondered  what  he  was  to  do  with 
himself  all  the  rest  of  the  day.  Kate 
looked  up  and  smiled,  then  pushing 
away  her  writing  materials  she  took 


A   TALK.  35 

out  her  work  and  proposed  that  they 
should  have  a  talk. 

Walter's  brow  brightened,  and  he 
flung  himself  back  in  his  chair  to 

o 

be  in  readiness  to  do  his  part.  "  All 
right,"  he  said;  "what  shall  we  talk 
about,  Kate?" 

"  Why,  about  school,  to  be  sure," 
she  answered;  "you've  told  me  no- 
thing about  it  this  time,  and  gener- 
ally you  are  so  full  of  it,  you  can 
think  of  nothing  else.  How  do  all 
the  boys  go  on,  and  what's  become 
of  your  old  friend,  Donald  Mackay?" 

Walter's  face  grew  decidedly  more 
gloomy-looking,  and  he  answered — 

"  I  dont  like  Beech  wood  nearly. 
BO  much  as  I  did.  I  say,  do  you 


36  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

think  papa  would  let  me  go  some- 
where else?  I'm  sick  of  the  placo 
-and  the  boys,  and  I  don't  believe 
I  shall  ever  get  on  well  there." 

Kate  looked  up  surprised. 
"Why,  Walter,  what's  wrong?" 
the  inquired,  quickly  ;  "  last  Easter 
everything  was  perfection ;  what  has 
happened  to  change  your  opinion  so 
suddenly?" 

Walter  was  silent ;  but  Kate  pressed 
for  an  answer,  and  by  degrees  drew 
from  him  a  full  accourft  of  his  quarrel 
with  his  friend,  given  in  somewhat 
strong  language,  and  with  plenty  of 
expressions  of  indignation  against  poor 
Donald. 

She-  heard  him  to  the  end  without 


A  TALK.  37 

interrupting  liim  ;  but  wlien  ne  asked 
whether  she  did  not  think  he  had 
done  right  in  cutting  a  boy  who  had 
behaved  so  abominably,  she  could 
not  help  laughing,  and  replied,  sho 
could  not  say  she  thought  Donald's 
crime  so  very  unpardonable.  Of 
course,  she  should  have  liked  him 
better  if  he  had  shared  his  peaches 
with  the  others,  but  she  hardly 
thought  his  fault  was  worth  quarrelling 
about. 

"Oh,  Kate,"  exclaimed  Walter, 
impatiently,  "  you  are  not  a  boy,  and 
you  never  can  understand  boys'  affairs 
a  bit !  I  did  not  want  his  peaches  ; 
but  I  say  it  was  a  nasty,  horrid  thing 
to  do  to  eat  them  all  himself  1" 


S3  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

"Very  horrid  !"  said  Kate,  looking 
very  much  amused  at  his  vehemence. 
14  But,  Walter,  we  all  do  horrid  things 
sometimes,  things  we  should  not  like 
our  best  friends  to  know  anything 
about ;  can  you  not  forgive  Donald  as 
you  would  wish  to  be  forgiven  if  you 
were  to  do  anything  of  the  sort  ?" 

"  If  ! — Kate,  how  can  you  imagine 

j 

I  should  be  such  a  pig  ?  But  then, 
you  see,  that  is  not  the  worst  of  it. 
He  used  to  pretend  to  like  me  so 
much  ;  now  it  could  have  been  nothing 
but  pretence,  for  he  did  not  care  one 
atom  when  I  let  him  see  I  meant  to 
have  nothing  to  do  with  him." 

Kate  shook  her  head. 

11  Walter,    you    are   speaking   yery 


A   TALK.  39 

positively  ;  but  I  do  not  see  how  you 
can  tell  that  he  did  not  care.  He 
may  have  felt  it  very  much  for  aught 
you  know.  It  is  hardly  likely  he 
would  let  you  see." 

"  But,  Kate,  he  made  friends  with 
that  Henry  Noble  directly,  almost.  I 
never  saw  anybody  go  on  in  such  a 
way.  I  declare,  I  think,  it  is  a  horrid 
shame!" 

"  Suppose,  Walter,"  said  Kate,  after 
a  few  minutes'  silence,  "  that  after  all 
Donald  did  not  eat  all  those  peaches 
himself ;  you  may  have  been  mistaken, 
you  know." 

"  I  am  sure  he  did ;  and  anyhow 
that  does  not  alter  the  case.  It's  quite 
plain  he  does  not  care  for  my  friend- 


40  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

ship,  so  he  won't  get  it  again  in  a 
Lurry.  Why  do  you  shake  your  head 
BO,  Kate?  you  surely  don't  want  me 
to  be  trying  to  make  friends  with  him 
again,  do  you?" 

"  Don't  you  wish  he  was  your 
friend  still  ?  now  honestly,  don't  you, 
Walter?"  said  his  sister,  fixing  her 
"blue  eyes  on  his,  as  if  she  would  read 
his  thoughts ;  but  he  turned  away 
muttering  that  he  did  not  want  a 
friend  who  cared  nothing  for  him. 

"  Walter,  Walter,  you  are  quite 
wrong ;  you  are  indeed,"  said  Kate, 
earnestly ;  "  you  don't  know  that  he 
does  not  care  for  you.  I  believe  he 
did.  and  that  it  is  your  fault  if  he 
does  not  now.  It  is  a  great  mistake 


Don't  you  wish  he  was  your  friend  still.     Page  40. 


A   TALK.  41 

to  throw  away  friends  in  this  way,  as 
you  will  find  to  your  cost  when  you 
grow  up." 

Walter  looked  sullen  and  did  not 
answer,  so  she  continued, — 

"  Walter,  dear,  if  you  expect  your 
friends  never  to  do  anything  you 
dislike  you  will  be  always  disap- 
pointed ;  and  if  you  only  make  friends 
of  those  who  like  you  and  seek  your 
friendship,  I  strongly  suspect  you  will 
not  have  many  friends." 

"  Then  you  think  I  am  so  disagree- 
able that  very  few  people  will  like 
me  ?  Thank  you,  Kate ;  you  are  very 
kind." 

"  I  did  not  say  so,  Walter ;  but  do 

you  not   see,  that  if  you   expect   all 
4* 


42  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

your  friends  to  like  you  and  admire 
you,  your  friendship  would  be  of  a 
very  selfish  kind,  only  made  for  your 
own  gratification,  not  with  any  wish 
to  help  or  be  useful  to  others  ?  This 
is  why  you  are  disappointed  in  Donald, 
I  think :  you  expected  him  to  think 
your  friendship  of  immense  value, 
and  he  did  not  seem  to  do  so ;  so 
your  pride  was  hurt,  and  you  gave 
him  up." 

"  Kate,  it  is  too  bad  to  think  I  am 
all  to  blame,  and  Donald  not  at  all,'1 
said  Walter,  half  inclined  to  cry. 

"  Would  it  be  a  very  great  comfort 
to  you  to  think  Donald  in  the  wrong, 
too?"  inquired  his  sister,  laughing. 
"  You  see  I  know  nothing  of  his 


A   TALK.  43 

share  in  this  'business,  except  what 
you  have  told  me,  and  so  I  can't 
judge." 

11 1  do  think  he  was  wrong,"  per- 
sisted Walter,  doggedly. 

"  Well,  suppose  he  was, — suppose 
he  had  injured  you  terribly,  still  it 
should  make  no  difference  to  you ; 
'forgive  and  ye  shall  be  forgiven.' 
Even  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  and 
so  His  enemies,  Christ  died  for  us. 
Come,"  she  added,  smiling,  "try  and 
forgive  poor  Donald  Mackay  for 
having  thought  he  might  be  able  to 
live  without  your  friendship  ;  it  is  not 
such  a  very  dreadful  crime,  after  all." 

Walter  still  looked  gloomy,  and 
though  she  renewed  the  subject  many 


44  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

times,  all  slie  could  extract  from 
him  was  a  promise  that  lie  would 
think  about  it  when  he  went  back  to 
school. 


GROWING   WORSE.  45 


IV. 

GROWING    WORSE. 

|HE  Christmas  holidays  cam'e 
to  an  end  ;  the  20th  of  Jan- 
uary came,  and  Walter  returned  to 
school.  It  was  a  cold  wretched  day, 
the  snow  lay  thickly  on  the  ground 
when  the  carriage  that  conveyed  him 
from  the  station  stopped  at  the  door 
of  Beechwood  School.  It  looked  very 
dreary,  he  thought — much  more  dreary 
even  than  when  he  left  it,  and  his 
spirits  went  down,  down,  very  low 
indeed. 


46  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

"We  seldom  think  how  much  wo 
may  do  by  a  single  sentence,  or  even 
by  the  tone  of  voice  in  which  we  pro- 
nounce that  sentence,  and  yet,  if  we 
did  but  think  about  it,  how  often 
have  mistakes  and  misunderstandings 
arisen  from  these  apparently  little 
causes. 

Now  it  so  happened  that  both  Wal- 
ter and  Donald  had  been  thinking 

o 

a  great  deal  on  their  way  back  to 
school,  and  strangely  enough  their 
meditations  had  terminated  in  very 
much  the  same  way.  Walter  had 
been  thinking  over  what  his  sister 
had  said  to  him,  and,  after  a  con- 
siderable struggle  with  himself,  had 
determined,  that  if  Donald  seemed 


GROWING   WORSE.  47 

anxious  to  do  so,  it  might  be  as 
well  to  renew  his  friendship,  and  try 
and  forget  the  past. 

Donald,  on  his  part,  was  returning 
to  school  alone,  for  Noble,  his  new 
friend,  was  not  coming  back  again ; 
and  when  he  thought  how  much  he 
should  miss  him,  he  began  to  wonder 
whether  his  first  friend,  Walter  Leigh, 
would  be  disposed  to  be  friendly  again, 
He  half  hoped  he  would ;  surely  in 
a  month  he  must  have  forgotten 
whatever  little  offence  he  had  received, 
and  would  be  willing  to  be  friends 
again?  Of  course,  Donald  said  to 
himself,  it  would  not  do  to  appear 
too  anxious,  but  he  would  watch  and 
be  ready ;  if  Walter  should  appear 


48  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

willing  to  renew  their  friendship,  so 
much  the  better 

Donald  had  arrived  at  Beech  wood 
before  Walter,  and  was  therefore 
among  the  crowd  of  boys  who  ran 
out  to  greet  the  new  arrival,  when 
Walter  appeared. 

Poor  Walter,  he  was  cold  and  tired, 
heartsick  and  homesick,  and  it  was 
hardly  to  be  wondered  at  that  his 
greetings  were  not  of  the  most  cordial 
nature.  But,  unfortunately,  Donald 
was  not  gifted  with  much  penetration 
or  discernment,  and  as  he  had  said 
to  himself,  "  I  shall  be  able  to  see  at 
once  whether  he  means  to  make  it  up," 
the  cold  shake-hand  and  short  answer 
his  warm  salutations  received  effectu- 


•GROWING  "WORSE.  49 

ally  quashed  all  his  hopes  of  a  recon- 
ciliation. 

The  rest  of  the  evening  he  was 
cold  and  reserved  ;  and  Walter,  notic- 
ing this,  gave  up  all  thoughts  of 
making  him  his  friend  again.  So  af- 
fairs returned  to  their  former  unpleas- 
ant condition. 

But  Walter's  nature  was  too  hot 
and  fiery  for  him  to  remain  long  in 
this  passive  state.  Last  term  Donald 
was  protected  by  his  popular  friend, 
Harry  Noble ;  but  now  he  was  alone, 
and  Walter  was  determined  to  make 
him  repent  of  having  been  contented 
to  do  without  the  friendship  of  so  im- 
portant a  person  as  himself. 

It  was   easy  for   him   to   do   this, 


50  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

for  he  had  many  ways  of  securing 
the  good  opinion  of  his  companions, 
which  Donald,  being  poor,  did  not 
possess ;  and  having  once  established 
himself  in  their  good  graces,  he  used 
the  influence  thus  obtained  to  injure 
poor  Donald.  Sly  hints  and  sneers 
soon  began  to  make  some  of  the  boys 
cast  doubtful  glances  at  the  poor 
fellow ;  and  Donald  began  to  be  more 
than  ever  puzzled  to  account  for  all 
this.  He  knew  he  had,  somehow  or 
other,  offended  Walter,  but  he  was 
at  a  loss  to  understand  what  dreadful 
crime  he  had  committed  to  cause 
the  whole  school  to  avoid  him  and  dis- 
trust him. 

Day   by   day   things   grew   worse 


GEOWINO-   WOESE.  51 

instead  of  better,  and  he  began  to 
grow  very  unhappy.  Ha  longed  for 
his  friend  Harry,  and  consoled  him- 
self by  writing  long  letters  to  him, 
which  Harry  answered,  assuring  him 
it  must  be  some  mistake,  and  advising 
him  to  go  straight  to  Leigh,  and  ask 
him  what  he  meant  by  it. 

While  he  was  considering  whether 
he  should  follow  this  advice  he  re- 
ceived a  letter  from  his  guardian, 
which  changed  the  current  of  his 
thoughts,  and  somewhat  cheered  his 
spirits. 

His  guardian  was  a  gentleman  whom 
he  had  never  seen,  who  resided  in  the 
north  of  England,  and  troubled  him- 
self very  little  about  his  ward  beyond 


52  DONALD'S  HAMPER, 

paying  his  school-fees,  and  occasion- 
ally sending  a  hamper  of  good  things. 
So,  usually,  Donald  did  not  care  much 
to  hear  from  him ;  but  this  time  his 
letter  contained  good  news.  It  in- 
formed him  that  his  little  brother, 
Alick,  who  had  been  at  a  preparatory 
school  at  Bristol,  was  shortly  to  be 
sent  to  Beechwood ;  and  though  it 
was  now  two  years  since  Donald  had 
seen  Alick,  the  bare  idea  of  having 
somebody  who  would  love  him  as 
a  matter  of  course,  and  whom  he 
could  love  in  return,  was  so  delighful 
that  he  went  almost  wild  with  joy. 

In  due  time  Alick  arrived,  and  the 
boys,  as  boys  do,  began  to  make 
comments  upon  him.  Some  said 


GROWING  WORSE  53 

he  was  just  like  Donald,  and  would 
Lave  no  more  spirit  than  he  had ; 
but  others,  who  judged  more  impar- 
tially, thought  he  was  a  merry,  in- 
dependent, little  rogue,  who  would 
get  on  in  the  world ;  and  I  think  they 
were  right. 


54  DOXALD'S  HAMPER. 


V. 

THE     LITTLE    CRUSADER. 

|T  may  be  said  Alice  Mackay 
was  not  a  commonplace  child. 
He  had  evidently  come  into  the  world 
to  do  something.  You  could  see  that 
as  soon  as  you  looked  at  him.  He 
did  nothing  without  a  purpose.  If 
lie  joined  a  game,  he  played  with 
a  will ;  or  if  he  had  a  lesson  to  learn, 
you  could  see  at  once  he  intended 
to  learn  it.  He  was  not  one  of  those 
listless,  lazy  children,  who  seem  to 
dream  all  day  as  well  as  night ;  who 


LITTLE   CRUSADER.  55 

Lave  no  energy,  no  decision,  no  any- 
thing about  them.  He  was  not 
particularly  handsome,  but  he  had 
a  round,  sensible,  childish  face,  with  a 
pair  of  laughing  blue  eyes,  and  a 
roguish  mouth  :  and  Donald  thought 
he  was  perfect.  He  had  been  half 
afraid  that,  coming  as  he  did  from 
a  small  school,  where  he  had  been 
only  taught  by  governesses,  Alick 
would  be  shy  and  frightened;  but 
lie  soon  discovered  he  had  no  ground 
for  fear  on  that  point — Alick  had  no 
such  thing  as  fear  in  his  composition, 
and  before  a  week  was  over  had 
made  himself  perfectly  at  home  in  his 
new  school 

Before   long   he  had  made  many 


56  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

friends  among  the  younger  boys,  but 
his  brother  was  his  chief  adviser  and 
confidant.  Alick  looked  up  to  him 
with  that  reverential  admiration  which 
little  boys  often  feel  for  their  elder 
brothers ;  and  Donald  was  especially 
delighted  with  this  affectionate  hom- 
age. But  the  quick  little  fellow  was 
not  long  in  making  a  discovery  which 
deeply  grieved  his  loving,  little  heart 
He  had  been  playing  with  two  of  his 
echool-fellows  in  the  play-ground  one 
morning,  and  a  trifling  dispute  had 
arisen  about  the  rules  of  their  game. 
Alick  at  once  proposed  to  refer  the 
matter  to  the  judgment  of  Donald, 
who  was  playing  at  cricket  at  the 
other  end  of  the  play-ground ;  but  to 


LITTLE    CRUSADER.  57 

this  his  companions  decidedly  ob- 
jected. 

"Ask  your  brother!  Why,  he's  the 
biggest  cheat  in  the  world,  as  every- 
body can  tell  you,"  exclaimed  Lewis 
Thornton ;  and  Hugh  Newman  re- 
plied,— 

"I'd  as  soon  think  of  asking  the 
first  beggar  I  met  in  the  streets !" 

"  What  do  you  mean?  How  dare 
you  talk  in  that  way?"  burst  out 
Alick,  as  soon  as  he  could  find  words 
to  speak.  "Donald  a  cheat!  you  are 
both  of  you  cheats,  and  sneaks,  too, 
or  you  would  not  dare  to  talk  like 
that!" 

"Not  dare  !"  said  Lewis,  scornfully; 
"  and  whyT  not,  I  wonder  ?  I  tell  you 


58  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

everybody  knows  it.  Go  and  ask 
Melville,  or  Somers,  or  Camden,  and 
Bee  what  they'll  say." 

"  I  won't — I  won't  ask  anybody 
but  Donald's  own  self,"  exclaimed 
Alick,  passionately  ;  "  I'll  go  and  ask 
him  this  very  minute;"  and  he  broke 
from  them  and  dashed  away  not  heed- 
ing their  remark  that  Donald  was 
*'  very  likely  indeed  to  pronounce  him- 
self a  cheat  and  a  sneak." 

Their  laughter  only  made  him  more 
angry,  and  never  stopped  till  he  reached 
his  brother,  who  looked  very  much  as- 
tonished to  see  him  so  excited,  for 
it  was  the  first  time  in  his  life 
lie  had  seen  him  really  angry  and 
passionate. 


LITTLE    CKUSADER.  59 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Alick?"  he 
inquired ;  "  have  you  been  fighting, 
or  have  you  got  into  a  scrape  with 
one  of  the  masters?" 

Alick  was  too  much  out  of  breath 
to  answer  him  at  once. 

"  Come  away,  Donald/'  he  said  at 
last;  "come  away  from  those  horrid 
boys ;  I  want  to  speak  to  you  all 
alone." 

"  What's  up  ?"  again  inquired 
Donald,  allowing  himself  at  the  same 
time  to  be  drawn  away  from  his 
companions,  and  following  his  little 
brother  to  the  quiet,  shady  walk 
before  mentioned.  But  Alick  would 
not  speak  till  he  was  sure  he  waa 
quite  out  of  hearing ;  then,  flinging 


60  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

himself  down  on  the  grass,  he  looked 
up  anxiously  in  his  brother's  face,  and 
said,  "  Donald,  is  it  really  true  that 
the  boys  don't  like  you,  and  call  you 
a  cheat,  and  all  sorts  of  horrid 
things?" 

.  "  I  don't  know  what  they  call  me, 
Alick ;  they  have  never  favored  me 
with  the  information,  but  of  course  I 
know  quite  well  that  they  do  not  like 
me." 

But  why,  Donald,  why?  Do  tell 
me,  what  have  you  done  to  offend 
them  all?" 

"  That  is  just  what  I  don't  know, 
Alick ;  but  of  course  there  are  some 
boys  whom  nobody  likes;  and  some 
whom  everybody  likes ;  there  is  no 


LITTLE   CRUSADER.  61 

accounting  for  tastes  :  that  they  don't 
like  me  is  quite  certain;  but  it's 
equally  certain  that  I  don't  care  one 
bit  whether  they  like  me  or  not." 

Alick's  large  blue  eyes  were  fixed 
wonderingly  on  his  brother's  face, 
which  had  flushed  to  a  deeper  red  than 
usual,  as  if  to  belie  his  words ;  but  he 
did  not  speak.  It  took  some  time  for 
that  little  warm  heart  to  imagine  how 
any  one  could  be  indifferent  as  to  the 
love  of  others,  or  possibly  be  contented 
to  be  disliked  by  all  the  world.  Ha 
felt  sure  that  he  should  be  miserable 
if  he  thought  nobody  loved  him,  and 
he  strongly  doubted  whether  Donald 
was  as  contented  as  he  appeared. 

"  They  must  be  horrid  boys  not  to 


G2  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

like  you,  Donald,"  he  said,  "  when 
you  have  done  nothing  at  all  to  hurt 
them.  But  never  mind  ;  don't  be 
sorry;  /  shall  always  love  you  very 
much  indeed." 

It  was  on  Donald's  lips  to  say  that 
he  did  not  mind  in  the  least ;  but  his 
little  brother's  loving  words,  and  the 
pressure  of  his  hand  as  he  looked  up 
in  his  face,  gave  him  a  choking  sensa- 
tion in  his  throat,  and  effectually  pre- 
vented the  bitter  words  from  being 
spoken. 

He  began  to  think  he  did  care  more 
than  he  had  thought  before,  and  some- 
thing seemed  to  say  in  his  heart, 
"  Oh !  if  Walter  would  be  friends 
ftgain  !"  Alick's  love  was  very  sweet 


LITTLE    CRUSADER.  tx> 

but  he  was  so  little  he  could  never  bo 
the  companion  Walter  had  been. 

"I  wish,"  said  Alick,  quite  uncon- 
scious that  he  was  uttering  what  was 
in  his  brother's  mind;  "I  wish  that 
big  boy  Walter  liked  you,  he  has  got 
such  a  nice  face  ;  don't  you  think  so, 
Donald?" 

"  Alick,"  said  Donald,  confidential- 
ly, "  if  you  won't  tell  anybody,  I'll 
tell  you  something." 

"  Oh,  I  won't  tell  .  a  creature," 
answered  the  little  fellow,  delighted  at 
the  idea  of  being  taken  into  his 
brother's  confidence;  "  I  can  keep  a 
secret  capitally,  Donald." 

So  with  his  arm  resting  on  the  little 
one's  shoulder,  Donald  poured  out  the 


64  DOXALD'S  HAMPER. 

whole  history  of  his  friendship  with 
Walter ;  of  the  coolness  which  had  so 
suddenly  arisen,  and  of  the  many 
slights  and  disagreeable  speeches  by 
which  Walter  was  injuring  him. 

Alick  listened  with  a  very  grave 
look  on  his  round,  merry  face,  and 
Donald  thought  how  very  pleasant  it 
was  to  have  such  a  patient,  sympa- 
thising listener ;  but  when  the  tale 
was  finished,  he  was  astonished  to  find 
that  his  little  brother  WPS  ready  with 
all  sorts  of  plans  for  getting  him  out 
of  the  scrape,  and  by  no  means  in- 
clined to  let  things  alone. 

"Do  let  me  go  and  ask  Walter  why 
he  does  not  like  you  as  much  as  he 
used  to  do,"  was  his  first  proposal  ; 


LITTLE   CRUSADER.  65 

and  when  Donald  perseveringly  refused 
his  consent  to  such  a  plan,  he  was  no 
less  ready  with  others. 

"  It  is  no  use  at  all,  we  shall  never 
be  friends  again,"  he  said,  desponding- 
ly,  as  the  bell  rang  to  call  them  in  to 
afternoon  school ;  but  Alick  replied 
resolutely,  'l  I  will  find  it  out, — I'm 
determined  I  will!" 

Following  out  this  determination,  but 
mindful  of  his  promise  not  to  repeat 
anything  Donald  had  told  irm,  little 
Alick  lay  awake  for  more  than  an. 
/iour  plotting  and  scheming  how  peace 
could  be  made.  He  had  never  had 
such  an  important  piece  of  business  on 
his  hands  before,  and  he  felt  quite 

overwhelmed  with  the  responsibility. 
6* 


66  DONALD'S  HAMPEE. 

But  Alick's  was  not  a  spirit  to  1)6 
daunted  by  difficulties.  "  I  said  I 
would  find  it  out,  and  I  will  ;"  he 
repeated  to  himself;  and  so  full  was 
his  mind  of  his  plans  that  for  the  first 
time  since  he  had  come  to  school  his 
lessons  were  imperfectly  repeated,  and 
he  consequently  got  into  considerable 
disgrace. 

This  troubled  him  a  good  deal,  but 
Jt  did  not  divert  him  from  his  object. 
Ko  sooner  were  his  lessons  over  than 
Tie  flew  to  the  two  boys  who  had  been 
his  companions  yesterday,  and  by  dint 
of  ingenious  cross-questioning,  en- 
deavored to  find  out  why  they  thought 
all  the  boys  disliked  his  brother.  They 
were  amused  at  his  eagerness,  and 


LITTLE    CRUSADER.  67 

provoked  him  very  much  by  laughing 
at  his  questions,  instead  of  answering 
them ;  for,  in  fact,  they  could  not 
answer  them,  having  no  reason  what- 
ever to  give  for  their  dislike,  which 
had  merely  sprung  from  the  unkind 
things  which  Walter  had  said.  So 
great  a  matter  had  that  little  lire 
kindled. 

He  tried  again  many  times,  but  at 
last  began  almost  to  despair.  Leigh 
was  too  big  a  boy  to  notice  him,  and 
Alick  began  to  think  that  nobody  else 
knew  anything  about  the  quarrel. 
Still  he  could  defend  his  brother  when 
he  heard  him  abused,  as  he  frequently 
did  ;  and  his  vehemence  in  Donald's 
cause  so  amused  his  school-fellows 


68  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

that  they  called  him  "  the  little  cru- 
sader." 

Alick  gloried  in  his  surname,  and 
declared  he  always  would  fight  for  the 
right,  and  defend  the  weak  against  the 
strong,  as  the  old  knights  swore  to  do, 
and  he  did  not  care  if  they  laughed  at 
him ;  it  would  not  hurt  him,  and  it 
seemed  to  amuse  them. 

Many  of  the  boys  applauded  this 
speech,  and  one  of  them,  Charley 
Melville,  whispered  to  his  next  school- 
fellow, that  "  if  Mackay  major  had 
only  had  half  of  that  youngster's 
pluck,  Leigh  would  have  had  to  bold 
bis  tongue  long  ago." 


SECRET   REVEALED.  69 


VI. 

THE    SECRET     REVEAL. ED 

|T  was  again  the  autumn,  nearly 
a  year  since  Donald  had  re- 
ceived his  unfortunate  hamper. 

The  midsummer  holidays  were  over, 
and  the  boys  had  settled  to  their 
work  again,  when  one  morning  the 
news  spread  through  the  school  that 
two  of  the  boys  had  got  the  measles. 
"Who  is  it?"  was  asked;  and  then 
it  appeared  that  the  lucky  ft  Sows,  as 
they  were  considered,  wei )  two  little 
brothers,  Hugh  and  Freddy  Percy. 

Of    course   they  were   put   to   bed 


70  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

in  the  sick-room  and  were  g^eatl} 
envied  by  their  companions,  because, 
by  being  -ill  they  escaped  their  les- 
sons. But  measles  is  not  always  such. 
a  pleasant  thing,  and  these  two  little 
boys,  who  were  naturally  delicate 
and  sickly,  did  not  find  it  such  a  very 
delightful  affair.  In  two  or  three  days 
the  sick-room  had  other  inmates. 
Walter  Leigh  soon  sickened,  and 
then  Charley  Melville,  and  finally 
Donald  Mackay. 

1 A  great  bore,"  Walter  pronounced 
it  when  Donald  was  added  to  the 
number.  "  We  were  precious  com- 
fortable before,  and  now  there's  thia 
sulky  fellow  coming  to  hinder  all  our 
flic." 


SECEET   REVEALED.  7] 

"  He  won't  hinder  mine,"  replied 
Melville,  as  he  rolled  up  the  skin 
of  an  orange  which  he  had  just  been 
devouring,  and  discharged  it  with  a 
good  aim  at  Walter's  face. 

"  But  that  little  brat,  his  brother, 
will  be  always  running  in  and  out. 
You  know  he's  had  the  measles,  and 
BO,  of  course,  he'll  be  allowed  to  come 
here,"  said  Walter,  fretfully. 

"  Never  mind,  I  like  the  young'un," 
said  Charley,  while  Freddy  Percy 
exclaimed,  ';  Oh,  yes,  he's  the  nicest 
fellow  in  the  school." 

"  Well,  I  hope  you'll  keep  him 
to  yourself,  then,"  replied  Walter, 
gloomily ;  "  there'll  be  a  horrid  up- 
roar if  you  two  get  together." 


72  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

"I  Lope  so,"  said  Charley,  who 
seemed  determined  to  torment  Wal- 
ter ;  "I  like  an  uproar,  especially 
when  I've  got  a  headache  :  so  I  shall 
be  woefully  disappointed  if  the  young 
animal  does  not  make  his  appearance 
when  the  bell  rings.  "Hallo!  Walter, 
don't  go  to  sleep,  I  want  to  talk." 

"  What  a  bore  you  are,  Melville  !" 
said  Leigh,  who  really  was  moie 
feverish  than  his  companion.  "  I  will 
go  to  sleep  if  I  choose." 

"  Well,  you  won't  mind  my  talk- 
ing, then,  for  as  I  haven't  a  book, 
it's  quite  out  of  the  question  for 
me  to  be  quiet.  Or  suppose  we  sing; 
you,  Percy,  begin,  and  I'll  join  in  ai 
the  chorus." 


SECRET   EEVEALED.  73 

But  this  proposal  was  negatived  by 
Dawson,  the  old  servant  who  acted 
as  sick-nurse ;  and  Melville,  with 
a  heart-rending  sigh,  resigned  himself 
to  the  task  which  every  one  feels  to 
be  a  duty  when  confined  to  bed — 
of  counting  the  bunches  of  grapes 
on  the  paper  of  the  wall  opposite 
to  him.  This  kept  him  quiet  for 
some  time;  but  at  last  declaring  that 
he  had  counted  them  at  least  a  thou- 
sand times  without  arriving  twice 
at  the  same  conclusion,  he  imitated 
Walter's  example  and  soon  fell  asleep. 

lie  was  not  disappointed  in  the 
hope  he  had  expressed  that  the 
11  young  animal,"  as  he  called  Alick, 
would  come  up  when  the  bell  rang. 


74  POXALD'S  HAMPER. 

Henceforth  as  long  as  Donald  con- 
tinued to  be  a  prisoner  in  the  sick- 
room, all  the  child's  playtime  was 
spent  there.  He  was  a  great  favor- 
ite with  Dawson,  or  he  would  have 
been  hardly  likely  to  obtain  leave 
to  come  up  so  often ;  but  as  she  said 
to  Dr.  Vines,  the  head-master,  "Mas- 
ter Alick  was  not  like  other  boys, 
he  could  manage  to  be  quiet  when 
he  was  told,  which  was  more  than 
she  would  say  for  any  of  the  other 
young  gentlemen."  So  he  was  un- 
disturbed, and  boasted  not  a  little 
of  the  favor  he  enjoyed. 

Freddy  Percy  was  his  greatest 
chum  among  the  boys ;  he  had  taken 
to  him  from  the  first,  chiefly  because 


SECRET    REVEALED.  75 

Donald  liad  advised  him  to  make 
friends  with  him ;  but  also  because 
both  the  little  brothers,  and  Freddy 
especially,  were  among  the  few  who 
still  liked  his  brother.  And  now 
all  his  most  treasured  story-books 
were  brought  up  for  Freddy's  amuse- 
ment; and  when  the  child's  head 
ached  so  much  that  he  could  not  read, 
Alick  would  perch  himself  on  the  foot 
of  the  bed  and  read  aloud  for  his 
benefit. 

Thib  habit  of  his  did  not,  however, 
give  universal  satisfaction.  Like  most 
people  who  are  conscious  they  have 
injured  any  one,  Walter  was  always 
on  the  watch  to  find  fault  with  Donald, 
and  his  unoffending  little  brother,  and 


76  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

be  now  inveighed  most  vehemently 
against  Alick  for  disturbing  them  all 
with  his  stupid  stories.  "  Did  he 
think  they  were  all  a  parcel  of  babies 
that  he  brought  them  up  a  heap  of 
fairy  tales?" 

Charley  Melville's  protection  was 
invaluable  to  Alick,  who  did  not  at  all 
relish  hearing  his  dear  fairy  tales 
epoken  of  so  contemptuously.  Walter 
was  really  more  in  awe  of  him  than 
of  any  boy  in  the  school,  and  he  began 
to  be  half  afraid  that  Melville  sus- 
pected that  he  had  treated  Donald  very 
badly.  If  not,  why  was  it  that  Mel- 
ville was  always  snubbing  him  and 
petting  Donald  and  Alick  ? 

In  fact,  Walter  was  very  uncomfor- 


SECRET   EEVEALLD.  77 

table  in  his  present  quarters,  and  was 
longing  to  get  down  among  his  other 
school-fellows,  witb  whom  he  flattered 
himself  he  was  \huch  more  popular. 

One  day — it  was  the  first  day  Wal- 
ter was  allowed  to  get  up — he  was 
sitting  with  Melville  by  the  window 
watching  the  boys  in  the  play-ground, 
when  they  heard  Ahck's  rather  heavy 
footstep  on  the  stairs.  It  sounded 
heavier  than  usual,  and  he  was  coming 

o 

up  much  more  slowly  than  usual,  ad 
if  he  was  carrying  some  heavy 
burden. 

"  That  fellow  must  be  bringing  us  a 
cart-load  of  fairy  tales  to-day,"  re- 
marked Walter ;  "  what  an  infatuation 

he  has  for  that  sort  of  rubbish  1" 
7* 


78  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

"  Whatever  he  has  he  has  dropped 
them  all,"  answered  Melville,  as  a 
heavy  thump  was  heard  outside  the 
door. 

The  next  moment  the  door  was 
flung  wride  open  by  Alick,  whose  little 
face  was  crimson  with  his  efforts  to 
lug  a  heavy  hamper  up-stairs,  and 
through  the  lorg  passage  to  the  sick- 
room. 

"  Here's  a  spree !"  he  cried,  as  he 
pushed  his  burden  into  the  room,  and 
stood  surveying  it  with  folded  arms. 
"Who'll  have  it?  Guess  who  it's 
for?" 

"  For  me  !  for  me  !"  sounded  from 
all  the  boys  except  Donald.  Poor 
fellow,  he  did  not  dream  of  its  being 


SECRET    REVEALED.  79 

for  liirn;  such  things  seldom  came 
to  him. 

"  It's  for  Leigh,"  s^d  Alick.  "  And 
now  may  we  see  you  unpack  it  ?  The 
Doctor  said  I  might  bring  it  up  here, 
and  I  thought  it  would  be  such  fun." 

"Of  course  you  may,"  said  Lei^h. 
"  You  didn't  imagine  I  was  going  to 
to  wait  to  unpack  it  till  I  got  out  of 
this  room,  did  you  ?" 

Oh,  the  delight  of  unpacking  a 
hamper  from  home  ! — what  boy  does 
not  know  it  far  better  than  I  can 
describe  it?  Leigh's  hamper  was 
much  like  other  hampers  ;  it  contained 
one  huge  cake  and  a  multitude  of 
smaller  cakes,  pots  of  preserve,  a  pair 
of  chickens,  some  eggs,  and  a  little 


80  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

basket,  which  brought  a^very  strange 
color  into  Walter's  cheeks.  Had  Kate 
put  it  there  on  purpose  to  remind  him 
of  the  past?  He  almost  thought  she 
must  have ;  for  there  it  was, — a  little 
round  basket,  full  of  apricots.  He 
thought  at  first  they  were  peaches ; 
but  still  the  basket  and  all  looked  so 
like, — could  she  have  done  it  on 
purpose  ? 

Leaving  that  question  for  the  pre- 
sent, the  boys  proceeded  to  make 
further  acquaintance  with  the  good 
things.  To  do  Walter  justice  he  was 
very  liberal  with  his  possessions,  and 
none  of  the  boys  hesitated  to  benefit 
by  his  generosity. 

The  little  basket  he  decided  to  keep 


SECRET   REVEALED.  81 

for  the  present ;  the  apricots  would  be 
delicious  after  dinner.  Having  shared 
equally  all  the  other  things,  he  thought 
he  would  keep  the  best  part  of  the 
apricots  for  himself  and  Melville :  of 
course  the  others  must  have  one  a-piece, 
but  they  could  not  expect  more. 

Accordingly,  after  dinner  each  boy 
had  one  apricot,  and  the  rest  were 
stowed  away  for  the  present,  Walter 
thinLing  he  had  been  very  generous, 
and  drawing  a  very  favorable  contrast 
in  his  own  mind  between  himself  and 
Donald. 

Alas,  pride  must  have  a  fall  !  and 
Walter's  self-complacency  was  all  at 
once  upset  by  a  few  words  that  fell 
from  little  Percy. 


82  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

"  Oh,  delicious  it  is  !"  he  remarked 
to  his  brother,  as  he  sucked  the 
apricot-stone.;  "it's  nearly  as  good  as 
Donald's  peaches." 

"  Donald's  peaches  ! — what  are  you 
talking  about?"  inquired  little  Alick. 
"  Has  Donald  had  some  peaches 
lately  ?  He  never  told  me." 

"  Oh,  not  lately !  it  was  last  year. 
Freddy  and  I  were  ill,  and  shut  up 
here  all  alone,  and  Donald  brought  us 
such  a  splendid  basket  of  peaches  : 
there  were  twelve,  but  he  would  not 
touch  one — not  one ;  so  Freddy  and  I 
ate  them  all,  and  we  planted  some  of 
the  stones,  but  somehow  or  other  the 
trees  never  came  up.  Wasn't  it  good 
of  him?" 


SECRET    EEVEALED.  83 

"  First-rate  !"  said  Melville  ;  while 
Alick's  eyes  danced  with  delight.  But 
Walter's  face  was  hidden  behind  a 
book  in  which  at  the  moment  he  hap- 
pened to  be  deeply  interested.  Donald 
said  nothing — he  was  not  yet  well 
enough  to  sit  up,  and  the  boys  fancied 
he  was  asleep,  for  his  eyes  were  shut ; 
but  certainly  he  was  awake  only  a 
minute  before,  and  he  did  not  fall 
asleep  so  suddenly. 

I  will  not  tell  you  what  Walter's 
thoughts  were  like  that  evening  after 
he  got  into  bed ;  if  you  have  ever 
treated  any  one  unkindly,  and  found 
out  afterwards  that  you  have  made  a 
great  mistake,  you  will  know  some- 
thing of  his  feelings.  But  if  you  have 


8-1  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

hitherto  never  indulged  in  unjust  sus- 
picions of  those  who  have  never 
wronged  you,  let  me  beg  you  not  to 
follow  Walter's  example. 

You  will  want  to  know  if  Walter 
did  not  try  to  make  friends  with  Don- 
ald again,  and  I  am  glad  to  say  that 
after  a  long  struggle  with  himself  he 
did  go  to  him  and  confess  how  wrongly 
he,  had  acted,  so  that,  to  the  delight 
of  little  Alick,  peace  was  restored 
between  them.  Donald  always  said 
that  it  was  Alick's  doing,  for  his  own 
indignant  feelings  had  at  first  made 
him  half  inclined  to  reject  Walter's 
apology,  and  it  was  more  to  please  his 
little  brother  than  himself  that  he  had 
consented  to  be  friends  again. 


SECRET    REVEALED.  85 

Donald  left  school  about  the  same 
time  as  Walter  ;  and  then,  for  a  time, 
their  friendship  was  interrupted.  Don- 
ald went  out  to  India,  and  lived  there 
till  his  health  gave  way,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  corne  home,  and,  as  neither 
of  the  boys  were  fond  of  letter- writing, 
they  heard  nothing  of  each  other  for 
many  years. 

I  must  just  tell  you  how  they  met 
again.  It  was  a  warm  evening,  late 
in  the  summer  time,  when  Walter  was 
passing  quickly  through  a  crowded 
market-place  in  London.  The  heaps 
of  ripe  fruit,  and  the  little  group  of 
children  who  were  looking  at  it  with 
longing  eyes,  reminded  him  of  his 
boyish  days,  and,  quick  as  lightning, 


1 

86  DONALD'S  HAMPER. 

his  thoughts  went  back  to  a  certain 
basket   of    peaches   which   had    once 
caused  him  so  many  miserable  hours.  ' 
Just  then  a  voice  fell  on  his  ear, . 
saying, — "  What  are  your  peaches  to- 
day, my  good  woman?" 

It  sounded  very  familiar  to  him, 
and  involuntarily  he  turned  round  to 
see  Donald  Mackay  standing  close 
beside  him. 

It  was  a  very  happy  meeting  to 
them  both.  Walter  carried  off  his 
friend  to  dinner  with  him  ;  but  Donald 
persisted  in  bringing  his  peaches  with 
him,  "  for  the  sake,"  he  said  "  of  auld 
lang  syne." 

THE   END. 


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A1D71  475484    2 


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